Sarri angry at Bayern bid for Hudson-odoi
Italian claims Germans ‘did not respect’ Chelsea Fabregas signs 3½-year contract with Monaco
Maurizio Sarri, the Chelsea head coach, has accused Bayern Munich of being disrespectful and “not professional” after they publicly declared their interest in signing Callum Hudson-odoi.
Hasan Salihamidzic, the Bayern sporting director, said this week that Hudson-odoi was a player they “would definitely like to have” after the German champions made a bid of £35million for the 18-year-old.
Sarri, who wants to keep Hudson-odoi, said Bayern’s comments showed a lack of respect to Chelsea.
“I think that is not professional because they are talking about a player under contract with Chelsea,” Sarri said. “So, they did not respect our club. I am happy with the player because he is improving, improving a lot in the defensive phase. Now he needs to improve in some movements without the ball, but he is working very well at the moment. I would like to have him in the future.”
Sarri’s comments came hours before Cesc Fabregas completed his move from Stamford Bridge, signing a 3½-year deal with Monaco, where he will play under former Arsenal team-mate Thierry Henry. “It is a great pleasure to join AS Monaco, a new project for me,” said Fabregas.
Sarri wants to sign a midfielder to fill the gap created by Fabregas and a striker to replace Alvaro Morata if the Spaniard leaves this month.
Chelsea are deliberating over whether to sign Nicolo Barella from Cagliari or Zenit St Petersburg’s Leandro Paredes as a successor to Fabregas.
One player who the Italian does not want to depart is Willian. Chelsea have rejected an offer of cash plus Malcom from Barcelona, who have long been admirers of the Brazilian winger, but Sarri said it would be “impossible” for the 30-year-old to leave this month.
“He is really very important,” Sarri said. “I think he can do better. He can do better because the potential is higher, but he is really very important for us and it is impossible to lose him in January.
Monaco want Fabregas to be joined by Michy Batshuayi after the striker’s loan was cut short by Valencia. Batshuayi is well known to Henry, who worked with the 25-year-old when he was an assistant coach for Belgium.
Batshuayi, whose agent is in discussions with Monaco, is also known to the French club’s sporting director Michael Emenalo, who signed him for Chelsea. Asked about Batshuayi, Henry said: “We have worked together with Belgium. We will see what happens..”
Everton are also keen on Batshuayi, but they would have to either sign him or defender Kurt Zouma, who is on loan from Chelsea, on a permanent deal.
Meanwhile, Sarri has said he did not watch a single World Cup match last summer because he does not believe there is anything to learn from international football. He claimed that “every coach” shared his view but simply do not express it publicly.
Sarri also said that he thought that his Chelsea side would beat England and that national sides would lose “every match” to the best club teams.
“I didn’t see a match in the World Cup. I don’t like the national team because there isn’t anything to learn. It is a usual position, every coach thinks like me. It is unusual to say it.
“It is impossible to arrange a team very well in 30 days.”
Asked if his Chelsea team, who face Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge this afternoon, would beat England, Sarri replied: “I think so. Why not?”